Off to France!
Hello All,
As I do every year, I am taking a summer break so this will be the last blog post until the end of August.
In the meantime, I am off to France to gather more stories to tell.
First stop Paris naturellement!
Paris!
The fountain at Place des Vosges in Le Marais!
It’s been a long time since I have been to Paris in the summer.
It will be hot but I am going to enjoy the warm nights walking along the Seine, sipping cool drinks in cafés, and perhaps even taking a picnic to watch the Eiffel Tower light up and twinkle on the hour once it gets dark.
I will be a week in Paris staying at a B&B in the 2nd arrondissement run by dear friend Martinn of Key2Paris.com
Since 2007, Martinn has been hosting, in the south of France, and also in Paris, a revolving door of international guests mostly from Canada, the U.S., Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.
She is a delightful and engaging French woman of a certain age who is an encyclopedia of knowledge about this wonderful city and a great cook to boot!
Luxembourg Gardens/Off to France!
On this trip, I have many people to see, but I will be putting a focus on gardens as it is the season when the flowers and trees are in full bloom. So a trip to the Luxembourg Gardens, the Rodin Museum, and my first time out to see Monet’s Gardens in Giverny is on the agenda.
Claude Monet’s garden .. just like the painting!/Courtesy Google Images
I am hoping to see this garden in full bloom and take my own pictures!
I have also set up a photo shoot on the Seine River to get some new professional photos for my website and blog. What to wear?
Did I mention that I am doing this whole trip, more than a month long, with only a carry-on?
Maybe I will find a new dress in Paris but not sure where I will put it!
Nice, France
Le Palais de Soleil
Shots of our apartment in Nice that we will be seeing for the first time!
Then it is off to Nice, where if you have been following my story, I have purchased a fractional property, a lovely apartment two blocks from the ocean.
I have only seen it in pictures so far and therefore cannot wait to open the door for the first time.
In Nice, I will continue to explore spots along the Côte d’Azur but will spend lots of time in Nice itself, familiarizing myself with the area, while shopping for flowers at the Cours Saleya market, walking the full length of the famous boardwalk, Le Promenade des Anglais, and finding new restaurants and cafés to try.
There is a seafood restaurant called Le Rina’s on the ground floor of my building.
Noisy? The apartment has been remodeled with soundproof windows so we will see.
Le Rina’s Restaurant, Nice France
Still, imagine how lovely it might be after a busy day to end up there for dinner and only have to go up two floors to be home for the night!
I hope the food is good!
De Haan, Belgium
To top off the trip, I am heading to Belgium!
Mon amour is travelling with me. He is from Belgium and of Flemish descent.
So we are finishing with a week in his hometown of De Haan, a seaside town about an hour north of Brussels.
De Haan – Main street of this small coastal city in Belgium
The Belgium coastline
I have never been to Belgium so I am so looking forward to it. We will be exploring the pretty city of Bruges and the surrounding towns.
Pat is already salivating for his favourite foods;moules et frites|mussels and fries, Belgian waffles, and something called Pannekoeken which is a pancake-like crepe.
Pannekoeken — Don’t ask me how you say it!
People say it’s Dutch but Pat is adamant that it is indeed a Flemish invention.
I will have lots to report to you when I get back. Maybe a few pounds heavier!
Have a wonderful summer everyone. And for those of you heading to France, please take some pictures that you can share with us!
What Are You Doing This Summer?
What ARE your plans this summer? Please leave a comment at the bottom of this blog where it says — Leave a Comment or Read the Comments.
We all love to hear from you.
We Have A Winner!
For the Second GIVEAWAY DRAW
Exclusive to Level 2 (Croissant)
and Level 3 (Pain au Chocolate)
Paris Club Members!
Lots of colours to choose from!
Anne Dawson from Ottawa, Canada has won this beautiful scarf above.
It comes in lots of colours and Anne chose this blue one.
Congrats Anne and I hope you enjoy this gift to complement your summer wardrobe!
Check out this scarf by CLICKING HERE.
The next GIVEAWAY DRAW is in September!
Along with the next WORKSHOP on September 14th called FRENCH CHIC with Marie-Anne Lecoeur!
More on that in upcoming missives!
Not a Member of the
Paris Fan Club yet?
The Level ONE Membership
IS called BAGUETTE!
If you love Paris or just want to unleash your inner French persona, for as little as $5 a month or $50 dollars annually,
you can purchase the Baguette MEMBERSHIP and get the following;
-
The Paris Workshop Series: 5 Online Interactive WORKSHOPS annually to Learn about and Participate in All Things French from tying a scarf to setting a French table along with appropriate Giveaways at each workshop.
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The Parisian Tool Kit*; Once a month, you will receive one specialized French-themed written or video resource from top experts to be and feel more Parisian, such as how to put together the perfect travel wardrobe, how to buy lingerie or great wine, cheese, or champagne in France or wherever you live.
- Diana’s Paris Map; Highlighting the places that I personally visit and recommend when visiting Paris!
But there are two other YUMMY Options as well
CLICK HERE for more details
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Disclosure Policy: This site uses affiliate links that may generate small commissions based on clicks and purchases. The commissions help in a small part to pay for the expenses for this blog and website. So I appreciate it when you buy items or books through my book club page for instance. Any products that I giveaway are personally purchased by me unless otherwise specified. And I respect my subscribers’ privacy and do not share their information with any other party or organization. Some of this blog’s photos are courtesy of Google Images and Amazon.ca.
Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
Hi Diana,
Love your blog. Also love the beautiful blue flowered silk scarf I won. It is a perfect addition to my summer wardrobe. Thanks you and enjoy your trip to France and Belgium. I look forward to hearing all about it in the fall.
Best,
Anne
Hi Anne, I am glad that you got it .. and that you like it. I think it is nice and light, so easy to carry and also to pack. You will look very glamourous in it I am sure. Enjoy the summer! Best,Diana
Have a lovely time and enjoy those gardens.
Thank you Twink!
Bonne voyage ! Salut to Martinn!
I will be in Paris in September !
Enjoy!
Hi IIona, September is definitely my favourite time to be in Paris. Cooler weather! I look forward to hearing all about it. In the meantime enjoy the summer!
Thanks for sharing, dear Diana! Wishing you a wonderful trip!!
This summer I’ll be heading off to Hamburg, Salzburg and then to Kuala Lumpur and Dungun/Malaysia. First visit THERE😃🌴
Lucky you — lovely time to travel. Enjoy yourself Edith and safe travels. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Diana
Enjoy a summer visit to Paris and Nice … plus Belgium … with that “mon amour” of yours1
Thank you Gretchen. I will enjoy every minute, Have a lovely summer, Diana
I love reading your blog! Shardie introduced me to it! I’m going to Paris for the first time in July! My daughters surprised me on my 60th birthday with this trip! Of course they are joining me and have the Itinerary packed! Can’t wait to see beautiful Paris with my girls.
Oh Terri, how exciting. And Happy Birthday in advance. How delightful that your daughters are giving you this Paris experience. Paris is crowded and hot at this time of year but it is so very exciting. Enjoy and take lots of pictures. Thank you for reaching out and leaving this comment. Safe travels. Diana
Hi, we too are friends with MartInn. We stayed at her appartment in Paris on our 6 month aventure in France in 2011. This was our retirement present to each other. But she was not there. We then stayed at her B&B in southwest France and had a fabulous time getting to know her and my husband cooked with her.
She did not want to tell me where you grew up but says you live around Toronto? So do we. With Summers in Muskoka.
We have rented an appartment in Nice from Feb. 15 – April 15 2024. So any new info you would have on restaurants etc would be great! I am gathering information so if you know of a blog/FB sites specifically on Nice and the French Riviera, that would be very helpful! Thanks! PS: If June is your first week at your new appartment, when is the second?
Hi Sylvie! So great to hear from you. It is a small world and Martinn is a special person. We had a lovely time in Paris last week staying at her place, and we spent a little time with her. We are now at our apartment in Nice which is spectacular. We have it four weeks — two weeks every six months, a year. I will be writing in my blog about Nice in the autummn months Hope you are a subscriber? http://www.womanoafacertainageinparis.com Collingwood, Ontario as my principal residence. Diana
We just spent the last week in Paris and the week prior traveling by boat down the Seine. It was a special girls trip with my sister and my daughter. We have tickets to return to Paris next February. After reading this we will head south of France for a week. Thanks for your inspiration!
Truly sounds wonderful! I must do that trip down the Seine! Thanks for the comment. Diana